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Addiction Education

lgbtq relationships addiction resources links to services

Confronting Addiction 

WHAT IS ADDICTION?

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An addiction is when an immediate gratification becomes the primary source of pleasure in one's life and obstructs healthy pleasures like hobbies while eroding responsibilities such as with family, relationships, school, and work.

 

PROBLEMS SURROUNDING ADDICTION

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Addiction can have a serious detrimental effect on all types of relationships (e.g. romantic, family, work, friends, and academia). Often, addictions start because we initially use a substance/behavior as an escape from reality. Then, as we become  entrenched in the cycles of addiction, our ability to escape becomes more and more difficult. We feel trapped. This occurs because we often don't understand the nature of addictive substances/behaviors and how they can creep up and overtake our lives. Life then slowly becomes interwoven within the clutches of that addictive substance/behavior. The addiction ultimately becomes a part of our identity and poses a serious destructive threat to our psychological, social/romantic, and physical wellbeing.

UNDERSTAND THE UNDERLYING CAUSE(S)

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  1. Know the triggers by recognizing the feelings/urges (stress, anger, depression, loneliness, boredom etc.) that lead to the addictive behavior.

  2. Recognize why you are using these addictive substances/behaviors to cope with often deep-seeded emotions or urges.

  3. Reach out for help to understand how to cope/overcome the addiction by accessing the resources provided here.

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